doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Help build a try gun

I would like to build a try gun used in fitting customers in the field.I have a Beretta 682 12ga, that i would like to use as a platform.I have both a full pistol grip and an straight grip stock that i could uses.There is not much out there that i can find.Does anyone have any plans or some good pictures.anything will help.I want to get everything together before i start.

Go to Google, type in try-gun or some variation like building a try-gun. Lots of things will come up. Here's one: http://www.csmcspecials.com/WINCHESTER_Model_12_Factory_Try_Gun_p/9275.htm

One thing made clear in one of the articles was that "simply having a try-gun does not make you a gunfitter". I'd certainly agree with that.

I gave some thought to this project a few yrs back. For the most part, an ajustable comb and fully adjustable buttplate should do the job. There's not much need for a traditional hinged wrist type stock, from what I could tell. It's do-able with off the shelf parts.

If you're going to address cast on or off, I think you'll need the knuckle fitting

I have a true/professional try gun. It has an adjustable comb, adjustable butt both for length and pitch, also it is adjustable at the nuckle

Regards

John Boyd

If by "nuckle" or "knuckle" you guys mean the wrist has a joint. I think that can be addressed with an adjustable comb and butt that allow for lateral adjustmment as well as LOP. That joint at the wrist in most traditional tryguns is a bugger in terms of making it and keeping it from moving.

I agree with Chuck. A moveable butt will not change a solid comb's affect on cast but with both, I think you could simulate change cast and take your measurements from there. Some adjustable combs will only move laterally but I've been told they can be made to go higher/lower and right/left at one end by wallowing out the holes for the posts.

I am thinking of building one also. Machining a knuckle would not be too difficult for this old retired machininst. As most have read my posts on stock duplicating, I have been on a project of building pattern stocks for rifles. I can duplicate rear stocks for a try gun, so if anyone gets to the point of building a try gun, maybe I can help out.

I recently received a book "Gunfitting" by Michael Yardley. Ordered it from Amazon. This book has photos of try guns and a chapter describing how to use the try gun. I highly recommend this book for anyone fitting shotguns!! Very well written, many photos, and even has chapters on fiting the rifle stock and managing recoil. Yardley is a gunfitter/stockmaker/shooting instructor in in Britain, so he is well learned in the London Tradition of fine gun fitting.



John, I would love to see photos of your try gun:

So is this a dead topic?

The book "Plans and Specifications of the L.C. Smith Shotgun" by Brophy has a dimensioned drawing of the Hunter try stock on pp229 and 230. Those drawings might be a good place to start on the design of one.